Aglaonema plant named ‘Silverado’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant named ‘Silverado’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; freely clumping habit; full and dense plant habit; long lanceolate leaves with acuminate apices; tri-colored leaves with a broad gray green central area with feathered edges surrounded by a darker gray green area that is surrounded by a distinct dark green margin; light green-colored leaf petioles; and low temperature tolerance.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Aglaonema hybridacultivar Silverado.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAglaonema plant, botanically known as Aglaonema hybrida and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Silverado’.

The new Aglaonema is the result of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Aglaonema cultivars with compact anddense plant habit, unique leaf variegation patterns, interesting leafshapes, resistance to pathogens, and tolerance to low temperatures.

The new Aglaonema originated from a cross made by the Inventors on orabout Aug. 19, 1988 of the Aglaonema nitidum f. cinereum cultivarErnesto's Favorite, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Aglaonema hybrida identified as code number KSGHybrid 86-31, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newAglaonema was discovered and selected by the Inventors in 1989 as asingle plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India. The new Aglaonema wasselected on the basis of its plant habit, leaf shape and uniquetri-colored variegation pattern.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings or by divisionssince March, 1990 in a controlled environment in Chamrajpet, Bangalore,India, has shown that the unique features of this new Aglaonema arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Silverado’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Silverado’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.

2. Freely clumping habit, full and dense plants.

3. Long lanceolate leaves with acuminate apices.

4. Tri-colored leaves with a broad gray green central area withfeathered edges surrounded by a darker gray green area that issurrounded by a distinct dark green margin.

5. Light green-colored leaf petioles.

6. Low temperature tolerance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet,Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants ofthe female parent, the Aglaonema hybrida cultivar Ernesto's Favorite, inthe following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Aglaonema were freely-clumping and produced manymore offshoots per plant than plants of the cultivar Ernesto's Favorite.

2. Plants of the new Aglaonema had more leaves and were more dense thanplants of the cultivar Ernesto's Favorite.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Ernesto'sFavorite differed in leaf variegation pattern and color as leaves ofplants of the cultivar Ernesto's Favorite were bi-colored with graygreen centers surrounded by dark green extending to the margins.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet,Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants ofthe male parent, the Aglaonema hybrida selection KSG hybrid 86-31, inthe following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Aglaonema were freely-clumping and produced moreoffshoots per plant than plants of the selection KSG hybrid 86-31.

2. Plants of the new Aglaonema had more leaves and were more dense thanplants of the selection KSG hybrid 86-31.

3. Plants of the new Aglaonema grew faster than plants of the selectionKSG hybrid 86-31.

4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema were long and lanceolate inshape whereas leaves of plants of the selection KSG hybrid 86-31 werebroad and obovate in shape.

5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the selection KSG hybrid86-31 differed in leaf variegation pattern and color as leaves of plantsof the selection KSG hybrid 86.31 had chartreuse green leaves overlainwith irregular gray green patches and pale yellow random spots.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can be compared to plants of the cultivar39303, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,140. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Homestead, Fla., plants of the new Aglaonemadiffered from plants of the Aglaonema cultivar 39303 in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Aglaonema were more compact than plants of thecultivar 39303.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema were more narrow and hadshorter petioles than leaves of plants of the cultivar 39303.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar 39303 differedin leaf variegation pattern and color as plants of the cultivar 39303had gray and green leaves with random gold speckling.

4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema had light green-coloredpetioles whereas plants of the cultivar 39303 had white-coloredpetioles.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Silver Bay, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Homestead, Fla., plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants ofthe Aglaonema cultivar Silver Bay in the following characteristics:

1 Plants of the new Aglaonema were more compact than plants of thecultivar Silver Bay.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema were more narrow and hadshorter petioles than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Bay.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Silver Baydiffered in leaf variegation pattern and color as plants of the cultivarSilver Bay had gray and dark green bi-colored leaves.

4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema had light green-coloredpetioles whereas plants of the cultivar Silver Bay had green and whitebi-colored petioles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Aglaonema, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Aglaonema.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Silverado’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view ofthe upper surface of a typical leaf of the new Aglaonema.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Silverado has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants of the new Aglaonema that were grown in25-cm containers, in Homestead, Fla., in a polypropylene-coveredshadehouse with light levels about 2,500 foot-candles. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 5 to 40° C. andnight temperatures ranged from 5 to 30° C. Plants used for thephotographs and description were about 19 months from planting. Colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chartexcept where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Aglaonema hybrida cultivar Silverado.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Aglaonema nitidum f. cinereum cultivarErnesto's Favorite, not patented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Aglaonema hybridaidentified as code number KSG hybrid 86-31, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 18 to 20 days at 25 to 36° C.Winter: About 30 to 35 days at 15 to 28° C.

Time to produce a rooted plant.—Summer: About 30 to 35 days at 25 to 36°C. Winter: About 40 to 45 days at 15 to 28° C.

Root description—Thick, fibrous, fleshy, and freely-branching.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Erect when young, becoming outwardly arching as leavesdevelop; inverted triangle, symmetrical. Freely clumping habit giveplants a very fully and dense appearance. Appropriate for 25-cmcontainers.

Plant height.—About 52 cm.

Plant width.—About 74 cm.

Growth rate/vigor.—Vigorous, relatively rapid growth rate.

Stem color.—Close to 144A.

Branching habit.—Freely clumping habit; plants typically produce about15 offshoots per plant; full and dense plants.

Foliage description.—Length: About 32.3 cm. Width: About 12.4 cm. Shape:Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire, slightlyundulating. Orientation: Initially upright to outwardly arching. Aspect:Concave. Texture: Mostly smooth, slightly rugose; glabrous; thick andleathery. Veins: Slightly recessed on upper surface and prominent onlower surface. Color: Young leaves, upper surface: Center, light green,closest to 148C; surrounded by darker green, close to 144A; margin,between 144A and 146A; shiny. Young leaves, lower surface: Close to 146Bto 146C, shiny. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Center, graygreen, closest to 191A, surrounded by darker gray green, between 191Aand 189A; margin, dark green, 147A; shiny. Fully expanded leaves, lowersurface: Closest to 146A to 147B, shiny. Venation, upper surface: Sameas ground color. Venation, lower surface: Close to 146B. Petiole:Length: About 17 cm. Diameter, at leaf base: About 25 cm. Diameter,base: About 1.8 cm. Wing length: About 11 cm. Wing width, at base: About1.1 cm. Color: Mostly 146A to 146B; towards the base of the plant, 146Cto 146D.

Inflorescence description: Inflorescence development has not beenobserved on plants of the new Aglaonema grown under shadehouseproduction conditions.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have been observedto be resistant to pathogens common to Aglaonema such as Xanthomonas andFusarium. Plants of the new Aglaonema have not been observed to beresistant to pests common to Aglaonema.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have been observed to betolerant to wind, rain and temperatures ranging from 5 to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant named‘Silverado’, as illustrated and described.